FiveM server.cfg explained line by line (2026)

The server.cfg file is the configuration center of your FiveM server. It defines the public identity (name, description, banner), resources loaded at startup, available slots, admin permissions and much more. This guide details each line of the pre-configured file provided with your Lordhosting FiveM hosting plan on Pterodactyl.

⚙️ Where to find the server.cfg file?

On your Lordhosting Pterodactyl panel:

Select your FiveM server
Click on the "File Manager" tab (left menu)
At the root, open the server.cfg file

A sample server.cfg is pre-configured with basic parameters and slots set according to your plan. You can edit it directly from the panel — each save requires a server restart to take effect.

⚠️ Do not touch: the endpoint_add_tcp and endpoint_add_udp lines related to the port. Pterodactyl rewrites them automatically at startup with the correct port assigned to your server. Any manual modification will be overwritten.

⚙️ Server identity

These lines define how your server appears in the public FiveM list.

sv_hostname

sv_hostname "^4[EN] ^7My Awesome RP Server ^2| ^1Discord.gg/example"

Name displayed in the FiveM server list. You can use FiveM color codes:

Code	Color
`^0`	Black
`^1`	Red
`^2`	Green
`^3`	Yellow
`^4`	Blue
`^5`	Cyan
`^6`	Magenta
`^7`	White
`^8`	Dark red
`^9`	Gray

Tip: start the name with [FR], [EN] or [ES] to signal the server's main language.

sv_projectName

sv_projectName "My Awesome RP Server"

Short name of your project, displayed in some FiveM interfaces. No color codes.

sv_projectDesc

sv_projectDesc "English GTA RP server, realistic economy, custom jobs, 100 slots."

Description displayed on the detailed server card. Limited to about 1 line.

sv_maxClients

sv_maxClients 64

Maximum number of slots (concurrent players). Must match the slot count provided by your Lordhosting plan: exceeding it will block server startup.

Typical values:

Small RP startup: 32
Medium RP community: 64
Large RP community: 128 to 200

load_server_icon icon.png

Image displayed next to the server name in the FiveM list. Required format: PNG 96x96 pixels exactly. Upload the icon.png file to your server root via the Pterodactyl File Manager.

Game build (GTA V DLC)

sets sv_enforceGameBuild 3258

Forces a specific version of GTA V (DLC). Important to use certain recent vehicles or MLOs.

Common builds in 2026:

2802: Cayo Perico
2944: Contracts
3095: Drug Wars
3258: The Chop Shop
3407: Bottom Dollar Bounties (latest)

⚠️ The more recent the build, the more older scripts may break. Test before pushing to production.

⚙️ Resources and startup

# Base FiveM resources
ensure mapmanager
ensure chat
ensure spawnmanager
ensure sessionmanager
ensure basic-gamemode
ensure hardcap

# Your custom resources
ensure your_framework
ensure your_inventory
ensure your_jobs

ensure loads the resource at startup and automatically restarts it if it crashes.

💡 Loading order: always start with core resources (sessionmanager, mapmanager, etc.), then your framework (ESX, QBCore, QBox), then the resources that depend on it.

To temporarily disable a resource without deleting it, comment the line with #:

# ensure my_broken_script

⚙️ Permissions and administration

ACE system (Access Control Entries)

FiveM uses a permission system called ACE. You define principals (users or groups) and grant them permissions.

# Create an admin group
add_ace group.admin command allow
add_ace group.admin command.quit deny

# Add a user to the admin group (via Steam identifier, license, etc.)
add_principal identifier.license:abc123def456... group.admin

A player's identifier

To add an admin, you need their identifier. Three ways to get it:

Via server console: type players when the player is connected
Via a script: most frameworks display player identifiers in the admin interface
Via logs: on connection, FiveM logs the identifier in the console

Typical format: license:abc123def456... or steam:110000100000000

⚙️ Security and anti-cheat

OneSync mode

set onesync on
set onesync_population true

OneSync is FiveM's network replication system that enables:

More than 32 concurrent players
Better entity synchronization
GTA V population synchronized between players

Recommended for any modern RP server. Included free at Lordhosting.

Scripthook disabled

sv_scriptHookAllowed 0

Disables client-side Script Hook usage (basic anti-cheat). Keep on 0 for a serious RP server. Client-side cheats are thus limited.

Connection password (optional)

# sv_password "myPassword"

Uncomment and set a password to make your server private (whitelist beta, closed tests, etc.). Remove for a public server.

⚙️ License and technical identity

Keymaster key

sv_licenseKey "cfxk_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_YYYYYY"

Key obtained at keymaster.fivem.net. Without it, your server won't appear in the public list. Check our Keymaster guide to get one.

💡 Recommended alternative: enter your key via the Lordhosting Pterodactyl panel "Startup" tab (variable LICENSE_KEY) rather than in server.cfg. Cleaner and more secure when sharing configuration.

⚙️ Connection limits

# Limit to 1 connection per IP address
set sv_authMaxVariance 1
set sv_authMinTrust 5

These parameters protect against basic multi-accounting. For stronger protection, use a dedicated anti-cheat system (FiveGuard, Polar Anticheat, etc.).

⚙️ Complete server.cfg example

# === IDENTITY ===
sv_hostname "^4[EN] ^7My RP Server ^2| ^1discord.gg/example"
sv_projectName "My RP Server"
sv_projectDesc "English GTA RP server, realistic economy, ESX, 64 slots."
sv_maxClients 64

# === BANNER & TAGS ===
load_server_icon icon.png
sets tags "roleplay, rp, english, esx, hardrp"
sets sv_enforceGameBuild 3258

# === RESOURCES ===
ensure mapmanager
ensure chat
ensure spawnmanager
ensure sessionmanager
ensure basic-gamemode
ensure hardcap
ensure es_extended
ensure ox_inventory
# Add your custom resources here

# === SECURITY ===
set onesync on
set onesync_population true
sv_scriptHookAllowed 0

# === ADMIN (example) ===
add_ace group.admin command allow
add_principal identifier.license:abc123... group.admin

# === LICENSE (prefer setting it via Startup var) ===
# sv_licenseKey "cfxk_..."

⚙️ Save and restart

After each modification:

Save the file in the Pterodactyl File Manager
Go to the "Console" tab
Click "Restart"

You'll see in console the resources loading one by one. Watch for any errors that appear in red.

⚙️ Common errors

Error	Cause	Solution
`Couldn't find resource X`	Resource referenced with `ensure` but missing from `resources/` folder	Check that the resource folder exists and is named correctly
`License key authentication failed`	Invalid Keymaster key or linked to another IP	See the Keymaster guide
`sv_maxClients value exceeds limit`	Requested slots higher than the plan limit	Reduce `sv_maxClients` or upgrade the plan
Server doesn't appear in list	Missing Keymaster key or invalid game build identifier	Check `sv_licenseKey` and `sv_enforceGameBuild`